Sunday, February 25, 2001		Garden Life

OVER the years, I have watched a tremendous improvement in the standard of flower shows and competitions. The biggest advantage of such shows is healthy competition and sustained learning. In the race to win a prize, participants introduce new species and different varieties of existing species — indeed a great service to horticulture.

From time to time I have been giving tips to participants. If your blooms have not reached a stage where they can be taken to the competition, you can cut and dip the lower end in luke-warm water a day before the competition. The buds will open faster. This holds true in case of rose buds, gladiolus, dahlia, carnation etc.

Do not use colour dyes. Judges ignore ‘dyed’ flowers. Also do not try to transplant annuals from beds to pots. It is easily recognisable and you may be disqualified. See that the pots you take to the show are clean and have no green moulds on them. Do not paint them with harsh colours, as it is distracting. Do not leave any weeds in the pot and also bring up the level of soil in the pots, if it is too low, with a mixture of soil, sand and manure.

The biggest challenge for a gardener is to compete in the ‘best home garden’ category. Unlike competitions where only potted plants are judged, here the entire garden, with all its plants and other features comes under the judges’ scrutiny. The health of the plants, layout of the garden, the display and kind of flowers, the varieties used, special features, judicious planning of usually neglected corners or even parts of the garden which come under shade of trees or other structures etc. are all assessed.

It is better to keep diseased, insect or pest infested or frost or cold damaged plants out of sight, if it is a potted plant. In case of those planted in the ground, remove the affected parts and apply a disinfectant. This will impress the judges.

Make sure you are at home when the judges visit. It is not that you will be subjected to any questioning but you can use this occasion to seek answer to your gardening problems. In fact, your concern and interest will also impress them.

Garden does not only mean flowering plants, bushes, lawn or other such features. In case you have a well-laid kitchen garden, do not forget to show it to the judges. Even though space is always a constraint with a gardener but make sure that branches of trees or plants, landscaping features, pots, creepers etc do not hinder free movement.

Above all make sure that your dogs or other pets are chained or locked inside the house.